Los Angeles County firefighters are battling a second brush fire with a large potential for growth in the Eaton Canyon area near Altadena.

The fire, dubbed the Eaton Fire, was first reported at around 6:40 p.m. in the area near Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive above Altadena, according to Cal Fire and LACoFD crews. Early numbers from firefighters show that the blaze had engulfed about 200 acres of brush and was burning uphill, as noted by the Angeles National Forest on X.

Pasadena Fire Department crews say that significant wind in the area is causing the flames to act erratically and spread quickly.

Evacuation orders in place

As of 7:20 p.m. evacuation orders were issued for some people living in both Altadena and Pasadena. A full list of evacuations can be found here.

Fires rage across SoCal

About 40 miles to the west in the Pacific Palisades, a massive wildfire had already torched more than 2,900 acres and destroyed multiple buildings since first igniting Tuesday morning.

Southern California is currently in the midst of one of the worst wind storms the area has experienced in the last decade, according to the National Weather Service, who said that some areas could experience gusts of wind as high as 80 miles per hour, with the highest gusts reaching 100 miles per hour.

Firefighting resources across the region have already been stretched thin to the point that Los Angeles Fire Department has asked all off-duty firefighters to contact their department of communications to report if they're available to assist in the firefight.

This is a developing story. Check back for details.

Dean Fioresi

Dean Fioresi is a web producer for CBS Los Angeles. He covers breaking news throughout Southern California. When he's not writing about local events, he enjoys focusing on sports and entertainment.

Jan. 14, 2025 6:30 AM PT

Good morning. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.

Newsletter

You're reading Essential California

Sign up to get the most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.

Enter email address

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

Finding the fateful sparks

It’s mind-boggling to think that the deadly, raging infernos that consumed communities in greater Los Angeles and will leave lasting scars on the region began perhaps as minuscule sparks.

All the destruction and loss were part of chain reactions that fire investigators are now trying to trace back to their incandescent origins.

Advertisement

As of Monday night, the Palisades fire had burned over 23,700 acres and was 14% contained. The Eaton fire grew past 14,000 acres and was 33% contained.

As those major and other smaller fires continue to scorch L.A. County, local, state and federal investigators are working to determine exactly where and how each blaze began. Here’s what we know so far about the efforts.

Advertisement

The investigations could take months (or more)

It will likely take considerable time before an official cause is reported for each fire.

“Experts said the cause of wildfires, including those that sweep into urban areas, can be extremely difficult to investigate — for obvious reasons, including the intensity and temperature of such large blazes destroying nearly everything in their path,” my colleagues Kevin Rector and Ian James explained over the weekend.

Widespread fires that begin during extreme weather events can sometimes have multiple origin points, an expert told them.

In the meantime, Times reporters spoke with residents who witnessed the blazes’ opening moments.

Advertisement

Over in Pacific Palisades, residents point to the area around Temescal Ridge trail, which features rock formations and stunning ocean views. Just a week before the Palisades fire broke out, a small brush fire started on New Year’s Eve and was knocked down in the same general area. Fire officials believe that blaze was sparked by holiday fireworks.

One resident told Times reporters he’d smelled smoke near the previous fire’s burn scar while hiking the trail shortly before the Palisades fire was reported. He wondered if some still-smoldering embers from that Dec. 31 fire had been kicked up by the powerful winds that pummeled the area Jan. 7.

An official from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which is leading the Palisades fire investigation, said nothing is conclusive this early on.

However, there is historical precedent for an old fire sparking a new one, as Times reporters Richard Winton, Noah Goldberg and Hannah Fry noted in their coverage.

“The massive Oakland Hills fire of 1991 — which destroyed more than 2,500 structures — exploded after firefighters thought they had contained it,” they wrote. “That fire was originally six acres and was declared contained, but not out. Firefighters left equipment at the scene but did not monitor it at all times. Winds picked up and then flames quickly consumed homes.”

Southern California Edison power equipment becomes a focal point

Across the L.A Basin, investigators are focused on an area of Eaton Canyon where an electrical tower looms over Altadena.

Photos and videos from residents shared by news organizations and on social media showed what appeared to be the initial flames of the Eaton fire.

Altadena resident Marcus Errico told Times reporters he clearly saw “a small ring of flames around the base of one of the [electrical] towers.”

Those towers are the property of Southern California Edison. On Sunday, the utility company said its transmission tower lines were energized around the time of the fire. In a report, they stated that an early analysis showed “no interruptions or electrical or operational anomalies until more than one hour after the reported start time of the fire.”

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) is leading the investigation into the Eaton fire and confirmed the area around the towers is being studied, though the full scope of their probe was not divulged to The Times.

But attorneys for homeowners in Altadena aren’t waiting for investigators to name a culprit. Four lawsuits were filed Monday, each blaming Southern California Edison for starting the Eaton fire.

Power companies are no stranger to such lawsuits. Last February, Edison agreed to pay the U.S. $80 million to cover costs and damages from 2017’s deadly Thomas fire. Investigators determined that Edison equipment started that blaze, which burned more than 280,000 acres in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

And back in 2019, Pacific Gas & Electric agreed to a $13.5-billion settlement for several deadly Northern California wildfires, including 2018’s Camp fire.

Smaller blazes sparked last week are also under investigation

The Kenneth fire, which scorched a little over 1,000 acres in the hills north of Calabasas, was fully contained over the weekend.

A 33-year-old man was arrested last week by LAPD officers after he was seen attempting to spark a fire in the same vicinity, according to a law enforcement email obtained by The Times. The man has so far not been charged with arson as investigators continue their work.

Edison equipment is also a focal point of the investigation into what started the Hurst fire that has burned about 800 acres near Sylmar and was 95% contained as of Monday evening.

The company reported last week that one of its conductors had been damaged at a tower in the vicinity of the fire, but it could not determine if the equipment downed before or after the blaze.

The cause of the Sunset fire is also under investigation. That blaze scorched an estimated 46 acres in the Hollywood Hills and prompted panicked evacuations, but was fully contained in about 24 hours and did not destroy any homes.

The origin almost always leads back to humans

Extreme weather and climate conditions may prime California’s tinderbox landscapes, but we’re overwhelmingly the ones striking the metaphorical (or actual) match that grows into a wildfire.

Cal Fire estimates that up to 95% of wildfires are caused by humans, including from carelessness, infrastructure failures and deliberate ignitions.

A 2022 study from UC Irvine found that human-ignited fires were more ferocious and damaging than blazes sparked by lightning strikes.

More stories on L.A. County’s fires

Parts of L.A. County prepare for another windy forecast

From Orange County to Palm Springs, Angelenos rush to fill hotel vacancies

Rams play their ‘home’ playoff game in Arizona

What else is going on

Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe here.

Commentary and opinions

This morning’s must reads

L.A.-area residents out of town during fires share agony of watching homes burn from afar. In interviews with several residents whose homes were destroyed while they were in places as far-flung as Europe, Asia and New York, they shared similar feelings: a sense of helplessness in the face of nature’s wrath.

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected].

For your downtime

Going out

Staying in

And finally ... your photo of the day

Show us your favorite place in California! Send us photos you have taken of spots in California that are special — natural or human-made — and tell us why they’re important to you.

Today’s great photo is from David Rosen of California: Highway 46 between Cambria and Templeton.

David writes: “I’m not sure if a highway can be considered a landmark, but if so, Highway 46 is a quintessential example of the beauty of California’s Central Coast. This photo was taken after a rainy winter season, making the views spectacular. Morro Bay can be seen in the distance.”

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Ryan Fonseca, reporter Defne Karabatur, fellow Andrew Campa, Sunday reporter Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor Hunter Clauss, multiplatform editor Christian Orozco, assistant editor Stephanie Chavez, deputy metro editor Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.

Firefighters continued to boost containment overnight of the Palisades and Eaton fires ahead of dangerous winds that began blowing through the region early Tuesday.

Officials are concerned the strong winds paired with dry fuel and low humidity could result in new fire starts in Southern California or the expansion of the existing blazes. The Palisades fire had burned more than 23,700 acres and was 17% contained as of Tuesday. The Eaton fire, which has carved a devastating path through Altadena, has burned just over 14,100 acres and was 35% contained, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

An unprecedented fourth “particularly dangerous situation” fire weather warning took effect Tuesday morning and is expected to last through Wednesday affecting swaths of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The National Weather Service reserves the designation for signifying an extreme red flag warning, when especially hazardous fire weather conditions are expected.

Advertisement

Gusts of up to 72 mph had already hit the San Gabriel Mountains early Tuesday.

“Life-threatening and destructive and widespread winds are already here,” Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said during a news conference Tuesday. “We are taking an aggressive, lean forward posture...strategically placing fire patrols and engines in the unimpacted high fire risk areas in the city. We are carefully managing our operations to ensure that we can quickly respond to any new fires.”

California

12 minutes ago

Crowley said that crews had made extensive preparations for the latest extreme weather event reinforcing fire control lines around the Eaton and Palisades fires, clearing dry brush from surviving structures, and staging resources in areas where new fires could ignite. The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services has also pre-positioned additional engines, fire crews, helicopters, bulldozers and water tenders across Southern California.

Authorities hope to be able to keep firefighting aircraft up Tuesday, but it’s unclear how much the conditions will allow.

Advertisement

Battalion Chief Brett Willis said air support in Los Angeles County remained ready and able to fly, if needed. One helicopter was out Tuesday morning doing reconnaissance.

However, winds had already clocked in at higher and dangerous speeds in Camarillo, he said, where officials decided to move some helicopters and fixed-wing planes that had been stationed there, relocating them south and east so they could be able to fly if needed.

The Palisades and Eaton fires are among the deadliest in California’s modern history. Officials confirmed the number of deaths at 24, but warn the death toll is likely to keep rising.

Advertisement

There are also still 37 missing persons reports across both fires, officials said. Two individuals who have been reported missing “have most likely been found deceased” but authorities have not positively identified them, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said.

Although there is no final tally yet of structures burned, the fires are already among the most destructive the state has experienced.

Damage assessments have confirmed 1,902 structures destroyed in the Eaton fire, though inspection teams are through only about 30% of the fire footprint. Officials estimate that 7,000 structures were damaged or destroyed, though structures can include homes, businesses, smaller outbuildings and sheds and even vehicles. Officials estimate the Palisades fire has burned more than 5,300 structures.

Winds hitting the region over the next two days will be more of a conventional Santa Ana event, forecasters say, with winds coming out of the east and spreading fires to the west. That means the winds will have more of a focus on Ventura County compared with those last week, which came generally out of the north and hit Los Angeles County hard.

Areas covered by the latest alert include Camarillo, Fillmore, Northridge, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks. A conventional red flag warning — for a combination of strong winds, dry air and vegetation, and expected severe wildfire behavior if ignition occurs — is in effect across the region, including large portions of L.A., San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, as well as some mountainous areas of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

Southern California Edison implemented a public safety power shutoff for nearly 63,000 customers across its service area on Tuesday as the winds started to increase. Such shutoffs are aimed at mitigating threats, often in areas where the utility’s equipment could be at high risk of sparking a wildfire.

Of those without power, about 25,000 customers live in Los Angeles County and roughly 21,300 are in Ventura County. Another 116,000 customers in Los Angeles County and 83,700 customers in Ventura County could have their power shut off at some point during the wind event, according to the utility.

Los Angeles County’s wireless emergency alerts are still seeing some lingering issues after millions in L.A. County incorrectly received the panic-inducing messages on their cell phones last week.

Even though the county Office of Emergency Management says it is now prepared to send any new alerts after overhauling its system, some incorrect alerts continued to show up on phones Monday, days after the evacuation warning was warranted and far from the intended geographic area.

“We have received reports that some individuals are still receiving alerts,” the county’s Office of Emergency Management said in a statement late Monday. “We believe these to be ‘echo alerts.’ Echo alerts were found to be the result of messages being relayed through cell phone towers that were shut down during fire conditions and power outages and are now coming back online.”

It wasn’t immediately clear how widespread the issue was Monday, but officials said they are prepared to send out new alerts during the ongoing wind event this week, if warranted.

Officials urged Angelenos to be on alert for new wildfires and prepare to evacuate if needed.

“Get set to leave early if you receive an evacuation order or warning,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Tuesday.

As winds began to increase overnight, firefighters in Oxnard rushed to a brush fire that broke out in the Santa Clara River bottom near North Ventura Boulevard. The Auto fire, fanned by wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph, quickly grew to about 55 acres. The fire department after midnight said forward progress on the Auto fire has been stopped, but firefighters were still on scene.

As firefighters grapple with extreme fire conditions, residents who have lost homes in the Palisades and Eaton fires are grappling with the overwhelming idea of rebuilding their properties. Many have not been able to return home since the fires began.

On Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order that seeks to expedite rebuilding efforts, mostly within Pacific Palisades. Bass’ move comes one day after Gov. Gavin Newsom, via his own executive order, waived regulations under state environmental laws in an effort to speed up rebuilding in the Palisades, as well as Altadena and other areas outside the city.

“This order clears away red tape and bureaucracy to organize around urgency, common sense and compassion. We will do everything we can to get Angelenos back home,” Bass said in a statement.

The National Weather Service’s “particularly dangerous situation” tag in effect over the next two days has traditionally been used only rarely, when forecasters believed long-lived, strong and violent tornadoes were possible. The National Weather Service office in Oxnard, which covers L.A., Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, adopted it in 2020 in hopes of clearly ringing the alarm bell for the most extreme fire weather conditions.

“Any kind of red flag warning is dangerous. But there’s a gradient even within that range of situations, and so we wanted a way to message the extreme of the extremes. And the PDS is what came from that,” said weather service meteorologist Ryan Kittell.

During each of the three warnings issued this season, destructive wildfires erupted: the 19,904-acre Mountain fire in Ventura County, which razed more than 240 buildings; the 4,037-acre Franklin fire, which spread rapidly in Malibu and destroyed 20 buildings in December; and last week’s Palisades and Eaton fires, which now rank among the deadliest and most destructive in modern California history.

Tuesday’s gusty winds mark the fourth Santa Ana wind event since last week’s catastrophic firestorms, according to weather service estimates.

The extreme fire weather is also being fed by extraordinarily dry conditions. The last significant rain in downtown Los Angeles was on May 5, when 0.13 of an inch of rain fell. Since Oct. 1, only 0.16 of an inch of rain has fallen there — a drop in the bucket compared with the historical average of 5.34 inches that should have fallen by this point in the season.

The last time there has been so little rain between early May and the end of December was 1962, where downtown L.A. got only 0.14 of an inch, according to the weather service.

“In my view,” said retired climatologist Bill Patzert, “the past nine months has been one of the driest in the historical record going back to 1900. During my career, I’ve never seen punishing Santa Ana events so overwhelm the normal winter rain season.”

There should be some relief and improving conditions starting Wednesday night. But that relief may be brief. There are signs that another Santa Ana wind event could materialize Sunday and Monday, including a 30% to 40% chance of red flag warnings returning for L.A. and Ventura counties.

Times staff writers Liam Dillon and Andrew Khouri contributed to this report

Wildfires have decimated more than 37,000 acres of the Los Angeles metropolitan area over the last several days, charring more than 12,000 structures, displacing over 150,000 residents and leaving at least 24 people dead.

On Tuesday, when the fires first started, the White House made federal disaster assistance available to the state of California to aid the state’s recovery efforts. The disaster has also prompted an outpouring of donations from around the world.

Follow along for live updates

As the fires rage on and as Los Angeles looks ahead toward an eventual recovery, here are ways you can most effectively help the city’s recovery efforts.

Long-term giving

Patricia McIlreavy, the president and CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, stressed that the Los Angeles community will need donations to last beyond the immediate aftermath of the wildfires. She compared the disaster relief to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“In the early days, people would have said, well, we just need protective gear and we need a vaccine, and that’s all we need. But as we went longer into that crisis, we had a much greater understanding that what everyone needed to move on from Covid was so different,” she said. “For some people, it was child care. For others, it was elderly care. For some it was, you know, their children were falling behind in school. It varied in so many ways, what we all need it to kind of move beyond.”

McIlreavy encouraged donating to organizations focused on preventing the Los Angeles community from falling behind due to the devastation, in addition to those providing immediate, lifesaving resources.

“What’s the difference between a warm meal and access to a pantry and kitchen of your own? A warm meal is great. It’s wonderful to be provided a warm meal after your family has suffered a disaster. But access to a kitchen, access to being able to prepare your own meal, to feed your children with food, and in a way, and in a time that you choose, that’s about dignity, that’s about agency.”

Be specific with your donation

Brea Burkholz — a spokesperson for Direct Relief, a California-based nonprofit that provides medical resources for disaster recovery — cautioned against bringing large bags of miscellaneous items directly to shelters. While doing so is well-intentioned, Burkholz said, Los Angeles shelters often lack the capacity to handle the sudden influx of donations.

“A lot of the time, the system can get overwhelmed with donations of clothing and the material things because they’re not set up and they don’t have the space to take all of that in,” she said.

Burkholz suggested people volunteer their time instead or assist specific families in need of particular items or housing.

“If you can make a direct connection to a family who is in need, that is a much better approach, because you know exactly who it’s going to and there’s a place for it,” she said. “A lot of these people who have been displaced, they don’t have a space. They don’t have a home.”

Wendy Escobedo, the emergency operations manager of food relief nonprofit World Central Kitchen, echoed Burkholz’s sentiment.

“In the beginning, it was just an influx of people bringing everything and anything,” she said. “And now they’re going to start focusing on really, ‘You know what? What are the needs?’”

Escobedo said the city’s shelters are in need of more toiletries, including diapers, wipes, towels and hairbrushes.

Beware of scammers

At a press conference on Saturday, California officials warned Los Angeles about a surge of scammers taking advantage of the crisis.

“To anybody who would take advantage of people for their greedy gain, who see dollar signs, I have a message for you: You will be held responsible,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said. “You will be prosecuted.”

Experts advise doing thorough research before opening your wallet.

“If they’re saying that they can do something that trusted organizations can’t do or won’t commit to, there may well be a reason for that, and it isn’t always that they’re creative and ahead of the curve,” McIlreavy said.

Escobedo suggested people donate directly to organizations or shelters. World Central Kitchen, for example, only accepts donations through its website.

“We’re not accepting donations in any other way, or from any other sources,” she said. “That way, we should avoid any of those issues.”

The following charities have been vetted by NBC News:

California Community Foundation

California Fire Foundation

L.A. Fire Department Foundation

Pasadena Humane Society

Ventura County Community Foundation

American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles

Center for Disaster Philanthropy

Direct Relief

World Central Kitchen

Matt Lavietes

Matt Lavietes is a reporter for NBC Out.

Los Angeles is already infamous for poor air quality. But the fires scorching the area now are sending up plumes of black smoke that pose threats to human health beyond that of standard wildfires.

Wildfire smoke can linger for weeks and travel across a continent.

But what sets the L.A. fires apart, researchers say, is the toxic mix of substances in the smoke from the burning buildings, vehicles, electronics, plastics and other components of the urban environment, in addition to the trees and other vegetation that typically combust in the wild. Here's what is known about the health risks of such smoke in the short and long term:

Lungs take first hit

In the short term, wildfire smoke, like all smoke, inflames the lungs, says Dr. Chris Carlsten, a professor of medicine and director of the air pollution exposure lab at the University of British Columbia.

But wildfire smoke has its own effects on the blood, which are thought to increase risk beyond the lungs when the blood circulates to the heart.

WATCH | Powerful winds could wreak more havoc:

1 day ago

Duration 0:52

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said fire crews and water tankers are being positioned in strategic locations as officials prepare for what forecasters are warning will be powerful, dangerous winds.

Wildfire smoke contains fine particulate matter that can travel deep into the lungs when inhaled. When the lungs get inflamed, scientists suspect they send inflammatory cells into the bloodstream that impact other organs, including the brain.

Smoke can also irritate the eyes and throat leading to itching, coughing and sneezing, Carlsten says.

Acute symptoms can also include chest tightness and wheezing, rapid or irregular heartbeat and excessive fatigue. These symptoms typically ease once the smoke clears, according to the University of California, Davis.

Smoky questions

Urban fires combined with wildfire smoke, like what's happening in L.A., don't happen often, and scientists are just starting to study the effects.

Dr. John Balmes, a professor emeritus at the University of California, San Francisco, says such urban wildfires release a cocktail of chemicals from paint, metals, plastic and other synthetic materials beyond what comes from burning vegetation.

Smoke from standard wildfires is "bad enough," said Balmes. "When synthetic materials burn, they give off even more toxic material agents."

For example, Balmes says such fires release benzene, a known cancer-causing agent, which researchers have traced to plastic pipes in a previous urban wildfire in California in 2018.

The health effects of wildfire smoke exposure over multiple seasons is also a new topic for scientists.

Who is most susceptible?

When people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) breathe in wildfire smoke, they're at higher risk of exacerbations of their condition, which can result in an asthma attack, for instance. Those with lung disease are encouraged to have their medications up to date when wildfire smoke is in the air, says Colleen Reid, an associate professor of geography at University of Colorado Boulder who studies the health impacts of exposure to air pollution from wildfires.

Since we lose some ability to tolerate or cope with short-term damage from smoke with age, older adults are also more susceptible to ill effects, Carlsten says.

But children are also at higher risk from poor air quality during wildfires because their lungs are still growing, according to Balmes.

For those who are pregnant, pollutants from wildfire smoke can also affect the fetus.

Lasting effects

What's known about chronic health effects from wildfire smoke comes from wildland firefighters, who often work without the breathing equipment of city firefighters.

The long-term effects on them haven't been studied, but Balmes co-authored a study that extrapolated chronic health effects based on the workers' known exposure to fine particulate matter.

"We found a likely increased risk of mortality from heart or cardiovascular disease and from lung cancer," he said.

Another study by researchers at McGill University in Montreal also suggests lung and brain cancer risk associated with long-term exposure to wildfire smoke.

WATCH | How the Santa Ana winds are worsening the L.A. wildfires:

15 hours ago

Duration 4:29

The Santa Ana winds have been a major factor in the spread of the Los Angeles wildfires. The National asks Prof. Janine Baijnath-Rodino, director of meteorology at UCLA, to break down why the winds are so powerful and the science behind the severity of the fires.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Journalist

Amina Zafar covers medical sciences and health care for CBC. She contributes to CBC Health's Second Opinion, which won silver for best editorial newsletter at the 2024 Digital Publishing Awards. She holds an undergraduate degree in environmental science and a master's in journalism.